The invention relates generally to a feed for egg-laying fowl, and particularly to a feed that enables reduced cholesterol eggs to be produced.
People are mindful of their dietary cholesterol intake because elevated cholesterol levels have been linked to heart disease in humans. Since chicken eggs are a comparatively prominent source of cholesterol, eggs are resultingly avoided in diets. This is unfortunate since eggs are an excellent source of protein and other nutrients. There is also a growing trend to develop food products that are xe2x80x9ccholesterol-freexe2x80x9d, or of xe2x80x9clow cholesterolxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9creduced cholesterolxe2x80x9d. Because of the egg""s prominence as a source of cholesterol, efforts have been undertaken to develop methods of producing or identifying eggs having lower naturally occurring levels of cholesterol.
To date, dietary chicken feeds have been developed on an experimental non-commercial basis with claims that lower cholesterol levels can be achieved in eggs laid by chickens so fed. The eggs produced from such feeds are exclusively white eggs, as distinguished from brown egg varieties.
Various feed supplements have been disclosed that significantly reduce cholesterol levels in white eggs. For example, Haddadin et al. disclose decreased levels in yolk cholesterol in eggs laid by Lohman white hens that were fed a diet supplemented with a strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,195 (Havens) discloses a feed for producing lower cholesterol eggs containing dehydrated cabbage. The dehydrated cabbage is treated so that hydroxylase enzyme naturally contained therein is not inactivated. McNaughton, J. Nutrition 108:1842-1848, 1978, discloses reduced yolk cholesterol levels in eggs produced from white Leghorn laying hens fed a high-fiber diet (dietary fiber levels as high as 8.79%).
A feed is provided for producing reduced-cholesterol brown eggs from brown-egg-laying fowl. The feed comprises organic chromium, bacterial culture for improving the digestion of the fowl, at least one enzyme for improving the digestion of the fowl, and at least about 2 wt. % fiber, preferably at least 3 wt. % fiber.
The bacterial culture is preferably a probiotic culture of a species selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Aspergillus oryzae and mixtures thereof. The enzyme is preferably selected from the group consisting of xylanase, xcex1-amylase, xcex2-glucanase, pectinase, protease, phytase, pentosanase, and combinations thereof. The feed preferably contains organic chromium supplied by chromium-containing yeast in the feed.
Organic chromium is present in the feed in the preferred range of from about 600 ppb to about 800 ppb. The bacterial culture and enzyme are present in an amount effective to improve the digestion of the fowl. Accordingly, the bacterial culture is present in the feed in the preferred range of from about 1 lb. to about 4 lbs. per ton of feed. The enzyme is present in the feed in the preferred range of from about 1.5 lbs. to about 2.0 lbs. per ton of feed. The preferred amount of fiber is from about 2 wt. % to about 6 wt. %, based upon the total feed weight.
A method for providing brown eggs having reduced cholesterol content is provided. The method comprises feeding to brown-egg-laying fowl a composition comprising organic chromium, bacterial culture for improving digestion of the fowl, at least one enzyme for improving digestion of the fowl, and at least about 2 wt. % fiber; and collecting the brown eggs produced by the fowl so fed. Brown eggs so produced contain less that about 170, more preferably less than 165, most preferably less than 160, mg cholesterol per 50 mg liquid egg.